New vodka packs a protein punch

Some years ago, in a TV commercial for a certain brand of cheese, an actor turned up his nose every time the voiceover informed viewers that a competing brand contained “casein.”

To many people, that meant casein — from the Latin word for cheese and pronounced kay/scene — was a bad thing. To those who know it is the main phosphoprotein that makes up 80% of the proteins in cow’s milk and cheese, we wondered what the big deal was. But, as always, advertising won out.

The creators of a new vodka called Devotion are hoping drinkers will accept casein as a good thing, because they’ve added it to their spirit and are pushing the drink as a jolly way for athletes to hydrate for muscle recovery.

Devotion Spirits is a San Francisco company founded last year by Drew Adelman, a nightlife and dining aficionado and fitness buff. The 80 proof vodka, triple distilled from corn, is infused with PeptoPro® casein.

“My own personal mantra has always been, if you are going to be bad you might as well be good,” Adelman said. “With Devotion Vodka I can stay devoted to my regimen while stepping out for a good time. I used to actually take my own protein out with me when I went for a night on the town. Then I realized there were millions of people like me who wanted to take care of their bodies and also have a good time. From that passion, Devotion Vodka was born.”

The new spirit is being marketed for $29.99 for the 750ml bottle in California, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut at the moment. Market response will dictate its future distribution.